Many people have heard about “chest day” or “leg day” and imagine training in the gym exclusively this way: today you do one thing, tomorrow you do something else. This technique - splits - is often used in bodybuilding.
How often to exercise
Arrange training three times a week. For example, you can study on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and leave the weekends free. Or train on other days according to your schedule. The main thing is that between two workouts there is at least one day of rest - during this time your muscles will have time to recover.
How to select weight
To find out yours, try doing the exercise with a barbell or light dumbbells. If you were able to complete the specified number of repetitions without straining, take the next-highest weight dumbbells or hang 2.5 or 5 kg weights on the barbell. It's still easy - hang it up some more. Your weight is the one at which at the end of the set you find it difficult to perform the exercise, but your technique does not suffer.
How many approaches and repetitions to do
- The rapid formation of the neuromuscular connection necessary to increase muscle mass.
- Active growth of muscle mass.
- No injuries from heavy weights.
To simplify the program, perform the same number of sets and reps for all exercises. Perform all of the exercises below for three sets of 10 reps unless otherwise noted.
What should the warm-up be like?
Warm up before your workout.
- Joint warm-up: twirl your joints, bend and twist your body.
- Five minutes of light cardio: a gentle run on the treadmill, a session on the elliptical trainer, jumping rope.
If strength exercises are performed with a weight of more than 20 kilograms, warm-up approaches are necessary before them. You perform the exercise 3-5 times with an empty bar, and then add 10-20 kilograms.
For example, if you are doing back squats with a weight of 50 kilograms, the warm-up sets would be as follows: 20 x 3, 30 x 3, 40 x 3, one minute rest and the first set with the working weight.
What exercises to do
By starting a workout with your abs, you tone them so they better support your core and keep your back tight in movements like deadlifts or back squats.
Place your legs bent at the knees on the floor or place them on a hill so that the angle at the knee is 90 degrees, and put your hands behind your head. Perform three sets of 20 reps.
This exercise puts stress on the hip flexor muscles. Perform three sets of 20 reps.
Lie on the floor, place your arms along your body. Raise your legs bent at the knees so that your thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Lift your pelvis off the floor and push it up, then lower yourself and repeat.
This exercise does double duty: it pumps up the back extensor muscles that help you hold your back during deadlifts and squats, and it activates. The latter is especially important for people with sedentary jobs.
The exercise can be done on an incline hyperextension machine, where the body is positioned at an angle, on a Roman chair, where the body is parallel to the floor, or on a GHD.
Bend your body until it is parallel to the floor or slightly lower, and then straighten your back up. The deeper you bend down, the more your buttocks engage.
The exercise puts stress on the front of the thigh and buttocks.
To begin, experiment with the position of your legs and find out which one is most comfortable for you: wide, narrow, with your knees turned out strongly or just slightly to the sides.
While squatting, pay attention to your technique.
- The back should remain straight throughout the exercise. If it rounds at the bottom, your back muscles are not strong enough, take a lighter weight.
- Feet should not leave the floor.
- Squat through your full range: at least to parallel with the floor or slightly below.
Pumps up the pectoral muscles, engages the triceps, shoulders and core muscles.
Lie down on a bench press bench with your legs wide apart and your feet flat on the floor. To determine your grip width, grab a barbell and lower it to your chest. At the bottom, your forearms should be perpendicular to the bar. Take the barbell, move it to a position above your chest, lower it until it touches your chest, and raise it again.
Here are a few features of the technique:
- If you use a medium grip, your wrists, elbows, and bar are all in the same plane.
- The feet are pressed firmly to the floor; do not place your feet on your toes.
- Do the movement in full amplitude, touching the bar to your chest.
Works the back of the thigh, buttocks and back extensor muscles.
Walk up to the bar, position your feet so that the bar is above the laces of your sneakers, close to your shins. Grab the barbell a little further than shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. Lift the barbell with a straight back until the hip joint is fully extended.
Features of the technology:
- Keep your back straight, this will take the pressure off your lower back.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and turn your toes out 15-25 degrees.
- Raise the bar close to your shins, almost sliding over them (but, of course, not like in the GIF below).
This exercise targets the latissimus dorsi muscles.
Sit on the machine, grab the handle and pull it towards your chest. Perform the exercise using your back muscles, not your arms and shoulders.
This exercise targets the shoulders, especially the front of them, and the pectoral muscles.
Take an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Raise the barbell up, at the extreme point, fully straighten your elbows and move your hands slightly back, behind your head.
Several features of the technique:
- The gaze is directed forward, do not raise your head behind the bar.
- When the bar passes in front of your head, do not lift your chin, but tilt your head back.
- Do not lean your body back while pressing.
9. Barbell curl
This is an isolated exercise for the biceps brachii.
Take the barbell with a reverse grip shoulder-width apart, lift it by bending your elbow, and lower it smoothly.
Features of the technology:
- To relieve the load on your lower back, slightly tilt your body forward.
- To protect your elbow joint, lower the weight smoothly and under control rather than throwing it down.
- You can shift the load on different heads of the biceps due to the position of the elbows (pulled your elbows back - you loaded the outer head of the biceps more, brought your elbows forward - you loaded the inner head of the biceps).
10. Bent-over dumbbell flyes
This movement works the back of the shoulders.
Take it, bend down until it is parallel to the floor and spread your arms to the sides.
Peculiarities:
- Do not raise your shoulders up; they should be lowered to turn off the trapezius muscles.
- To increase the load on the rear deltoid muscles, slightly turn your hands with your little fingers up.
11. Arm extension on the triceps block
Stand next to the upper block, grab the handle with a straight grip, slightly move your body forward, do not round your back. It is important to fix the entire shoulder girdle so that only your forearms move during the exercise.
Peculiarities:
- You can shift the load to different heads of the triceps by changing your grip (a forward grip pumps up the lateral head of the triceps, and a reverse grip pumps up the long head).
- The overhead pulldown with a rope handle allows you to spread your arms at the lowest point and turn your hands with your little fingers outward (this also allows you to better work the long head of the triceps).
How long will this program last?
You can do this program for one to two months, and then either change it to splits to hit each muscle group harder, or continue working your whole body in one workout, but change the number of sets and reps to suit your goals.
If you like variety and the same exercises performed day after day deprive you of interest and motivation, you can diversify your workouts with the movements presented below.
How to diversify your workouts
| Movement from the program | Options for replacement |
| Roman chair sit-ups, V-shaped sit-ups | |
| Raising the knees to the chest while hanging on the horizontal bar, raising the legs to the horizontal bar | |
| Squats | Lunges with a barbell on the back, sumo squats with a kettlebell or dumbbells |
| Dumbbell flyes, push-ups, hummer presses | |
| Leg bending on a lying machine (deadlift on straight legs) | |
| Bent-over barbell row, bent-over dumbbell row, bent-over T-bar row | |
| Standing chest press | Standing Dumbbell Press |
| Barbell curl | Dumbbell biceps curl |
| Bent-over dumbbell raises | Raising arms on a machine (“reverse butterfly”) |
| Triceps pulley extension | French bench/standing press, reverse push-ups with elevated feet, dips |
How to do a cool down
After your workout, spend time focusing on all muscle groups. There is no scientific evidence that stretching reduces post-workout muscle soreness, but it does:
- Increases the elasticity of muscles and connective tissue, which reduces the risk of injuries during training and in everyday life.
- Partially removes restrictions that may prevent you from performing exercises with proper technique.
A training program is what a man needs to make his body perfect.
After all, the combination of exercises, frequency of exercises and even the number of repetitions are of enormous importance.
Let's look at several options for classes for men with different goals - for weight loss, for gaining muscle mass and with varying degrees of training.
Gym training program
To properly create a training plan in the gym, First you need to decide on your goal which is being persecuted. It could be:
- fight against excess weight;
- muscle building;
- increase in strength indicators;
- improvement of relief;
- maintaining the achieved form.
Choose only one direction. You shouldn’t spread yourself thin: if you set two goals, then neither of them will be fully achieved.
Warm-up
Warm-up without workout is healthier than workout without warm-upWarm-up exercises warm up the joints, their lubrication improves, and as a result, less stress is placed on the cartilage. The tendons become more elastic and the risk of rupture is reduced. More force develops in the muscles.
Warming up without further training is more beneficial than training without warming up.
10 minutes are allotted for warming up. It is formed from the following components:
- Running, jumping, working on cardio equipment - 4–5 minutes. The pulse should increase to 130-160 beats/min. This warms up the body as a whole.
- Rotational movements, and the whole body is loaded, especially the spine, knees, shoulders. This allows you to prepare the joints.
Basic Workout Plan
The advantage of the “base” is that the largest number of muscles and joints are involved in the work.
Main basic exercises:
- squats using a barbell;
- bench press;
- deadlift.
Before drawing up a personal program, the athlete selects exercises, sorting them by muscle groups. Their number varies depending on the frequency of training. If you go to the gym twice a week, a dozen exercises are enough, five per session. This is enough to keep fit.
Then the exercises are distributed between workouts according to the following principle:
- muscle building workout(strengths): up to 3 groups are worked out (depending on the frequency of training), exercises are arranged in blocks - 2–3 per muscle group, another option is to train antagonist muscles in turn;
- excess weight: a small load on all muscles, load top and bottom in turn, the block principle is not used;
- relief study: both the first and second principles are possible, which depends on the characteristics of the body, the nature of the diet; exercises are performed in the same order as when gaining weight;
- form support: depends on how the form was acquired.
The duration of the basic training is 40 minutes, no longer. During this time, the athlete spends all testosterone.
Number of repetitions and approaches
This parameter especially affects the intensity of training. Approaches and repetitions, including in the warm-up, are distributed as follows (approaches/repetitions):
- for muscle growth: basic - 4-6/6-12, auxiliary - 3-4/10-15;
- increase in strength: basic - 4-7/2-6, auxiliary - 3/8-12;
- excess weight: 3-4/12-20;
- relief: 3-4/12-15.
For muscles to grow, they need stress.. Such stress is a change in repetitions of exercises (adding or reducing), increasing weight, changing the method of performing an exercise. Then the body does not have time to adapt to the stress. Another factor is replacing the exercises in the program with similar ones, then the same muscle groups begin to work differently. You should add unfamiliar movements to your workouts.
Stretching
This block is also performed before the start of training. Stretch:
- quadriceps;
- femoral biceps;
- outer, inner surface of the thigh;
- buttocks;
- small of the back;
- caviar.
Stretching is performed for 5 minutes, more rigid groups work twice as long.
Programs
For weight loss
The training is carried out in supersets. Exercises in pairs are performed one after another, then take a break for 2-3 minutes, and repeat the pair. When the initial level is mastered, the number of repetitions and sets is increased.
| Workout number | Pair | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
| 1st | 1 | Crunches on an incline gymnastic bench | 3/12 |
| 3/10 | |||
| 2 | Squats using a barbell (on the shoulders) | 3/10 | |
| Head pull, overhead block | 3/10 | ||
| 3 | Standing chest press, standing position | 3/10 | |
| Lying leg curls on a lying machine | 3/12 | ||
| 4 | from the gymnastics shop, behind | 3/10 | |
| Pulling with a barbell, standing position | 3/12 | ||
| 2nd | 1 | Leg raises | 3/10 |
| using dumbbells | 3/10 | ||
| 2 | Lunges using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
| Block pull (horizontal) | 3/10 | ||
| 3 | Barbell press, performed from behind the head while standing | 3/10 | |
| Leg extension performed on a machine | 3/12 | ||
| 4 | Horizontal push-ups, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
| Curling arms with weight (barbell), performed while standing | 3/10 | ||
| 3rd | 1 | Crunches, performed while lying down | 3/10 |
| Hyperextension | 3/10 | ||
| 2 | Leg press | 3/10 | |
| 3/10 | |||
| 3 | Rows from the upper block, performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
| Bend over, place a barbell on your shoulders | 3/10 | ||
| 4 | Stepping behind a bench using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell raise, lying position | 3/10 |
The program is accompanied by a diet.
To build muscle mass
| Day, muscle group | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
| 1st, legs and chest | Barbell squats, 60% of working weight | 3/10 |
| Bench press | 4/10 | |
| Push-ups performed on parallel bars | 3/12 | |
| Incline press | 4/12 | |
| 2nd | Rest | |
| 3rd, lats, biceps | Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired |
| Barbell row to the waist | 4/12 | |
| Deadlift using a T bar | 3/12 | |
| Hammers | 4/12 | |
| 4th | Rest | |
| 5th, leg and shoulder muscles | Barbell squats, 80% working weight | 4/12 |
| Romanian deadlift | 4/12 | |
| Seated press | 4/12 | |
| Pull up to chin level | 4/12 | |
| swing to the sides | 4/12 | |
| 6th | Rest | |
| 7th, lats and chest | Bench press | 4/8 |
| Press performed on an inclined plane | 4/12 | |
| Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired | |
| Dumbbell row | 4/12 | |
| Lower block thrust | 4/12 | |
| 8th, 9th | Rest | |
| 10th, long dorsi muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 5/8 |
| Shrugs | 4/20 | |
| Press (close grip) | 4/12 | |
| Standing French press | 4/12 | |
| 11th, 12th | Rest | |
| 13th, legs | Barbell squats, 100% working weight | 4/10 |
| Leg press | 4/12 | |
| Romanian deadlift | 3/12 | |
| Lunges | 3/12 | |
| Calf raises | 3/20 | |
| 14th, 15th | Rest |
For beginner athletes
Training for beginners accustoms the body to stress, allows you to build muscles and increase strength.
| Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
| 1st | Roman chair crunches | 3/10 |
| Bends using a goat | 3/10 | |
| Sumo squats, a barbell is placed on the shoulders | 4/12 | |
| Seated bench press | 4/12 | |
| Chest rows from the upper block, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
| Half-over with weight (barbell), performed with a wide grip while lying down | 3/10 | |
| Wrist flexion/extension | 3/10 | |
| 2nd | Leg raises on the horizontal bar | 3/10 |
| Push-ups on a bench from behind | 4/10 | |
| Pull-ups performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
| One-arm French press | 3/10 | |
| Curls with EZ bar | 3/12 | |
| Chest press, performed while sitting | 3/12 | |
| Shin performed in a standing machine | 3/12 | |
| 3rd | Back extension performed on a machine | 3/10 |
| Crunches using the Roman chair machine | 3/10 | |
| Deadlift, performed with dumbbells | 4/6 | |
| Lunges with raised barbell | 3/12 | |
| Barbell press, performed standing or sitting from behind the head | 4/8 | |
| Swing forward using one dumbbell | 3/10 | |
| Lateral arm swings, from the lower block | 3/10 |
For advanced athletes
after 2 years of constant exercise, muscle growth slows down The difficulty in creating a program for such an athlete is that after the first or second year, muscle growth stops. Then they organize training according to a different principle. The program is built on the following principles:
- High intensity.
- The working weight is chosen so that you can complete the program with it.
- The order of the described exercises changes in each new workout.
- The muscles are worked with two basic and as many auxiliary exercises.
- Between sets the athlete rests for about 3 minutes.
| Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
| 1st, chest muscles, biceps | Barbell press, performed lying down | 3/6 |
| Same thing, dumbbells | 3/8 | |
| Press performed in the Hammer machine | 3/12 | |
| Raises with dumbbells, performed lying down | 3/15 | |
| Barbell curls, performed in a standing position | 3/6 | |
| EZ-bar biceps curls | 3/8 | |
| "Hammer" | 3/12 | |
| Arm curl using a block | 3/12 | |
| 2nd, leg and deltoid muscles | Leg press | 3/6 |
| Lunges, performed with dumbbells in hands | 3/8 | |
| Extension of the lower limbs | 3/10 | |
| Leg Curl | 3/10 | |
| Army press | 3/6 | |
| Press using dumbbells, performed while sitting | 3/8 | |
| Inclined dumbbell flyes | 3/10 | |
| Reverse dilutions, use “peck-dec” | 3/12 | |
| 3rd, back muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 3/6 |
| Weighted pull-ups | 3/8 | |
| Wide row, performed on the upper block | 3/10 | |
| Head Pull | 3/12 | |
| Push-ups performed on weighted parallel bars | 3/6 | |
| Press, prone position, close grip | 3/8 | |
| Arm extension with a dumbbell, performed from behind the head | 3/10 | |
| Same thing on the block | 3/10 |
For legs and buttocks
To prevent the body from looking disproportionate, special programs are provided for pumping the leg and gluteal muscles. The training includes the following exercises:
Training is carried out 1-2 times a week.
Full program for 3 days
With regular training, this program will help bring the male body back to normal.
| Day, muscle group | Exercises | Sets/reps |
| 1st, chest muscles, abs, biceps | Barbell press, lying position | 3/10 |
| Dumbbell press, performed lying on a horizontal or inclined surface | 3/10 | |
| Horizontal push-ups | 3/10 | |
| Barbell curl, standing position | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell curls, performed lying or standing | 3/10 | |
| Pelvic lift, lying position | 3/10 | |
| 2nd, shoulder girdle, leg muscles | Squats using a barbell placed on the shoulders | 3/10 |
| Leg press performed in a machine | 3/10 | |
| Leg extensions, performed while sitting | 3/10 | |
| Leg curl, performed lying down | 3/10 | |
| Calf raise | 3/10 | |
| Barbell press, performed sitting or standing | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell press, take a standing or sitting position | 3/10 | |
| 3rd, back muscles, abs, triceps | Sumo | 3/10 |
| Pull-up on the horizontal bar | 3/10 | |
| Block pull up to waist height | 3/10 | |
| Hyperextension (reverse) | 3/10 | |
| French press, performed in a prone position | 3/10 | |
| Extension of arms on a block | 3/10 | |
| Lifting the body, lying down | 3/10 |
Traditionally, they warm up first and stretch at the end.
Split training
These workouts involve working individual muscle groups on different days. They are associated with a high level of stress. Here's a four-day split for an experienced athlete.
| Day | What muscles | Exercises | sets/repetitions |
| Monday | Breasts | Decline Barbell Press | 4/6 |
| Same thing, dumbbells | 4/6 | ||
| Horizontal push-ups | 4/6 | ||
| Tuesday | Back muscles | Deadlift | sets of 10-8-6-3 reps |
| Linkage | 4/6 | ||
| Head Pull | 4/6 | ||
| Horizontal thrust | 4/6 | ||
| Thursday | Shoulders, arms | Press, performed sitting, from behind the head with a barbell or dumbbells | 4/6 |
| Retraction of arms with dumbbells to the side | 4/6 | ||
| Barbell curl | 4/6 | ||
| Press (narrow grip) | 4/6 | ||
| Friday | Legs | Squats performed with a barbell | 4/6 |
| Leg press | 4/6 | ||
| Leg extension, performed while sitting | 4/6 | ||
| Calves, standing | 4/15 | ||
| Same thing when sitting | 4/15 |
How long to study?
The lesson plan is adjusted every few months Designing a workout is not an easy process. It requires adjustments, which are carried out after 1-2 months, in order to know the strengths and weaknesses of the athlete. Some exercises may not only not produce results, but also have the opposite effect.
Depending on the level of training, the body gets used to the program in different ways:
- for beginners - 10–18 weeks;
- for those who have been practicing for more than a year - in 8–10 weeks;
- for experienced athletes - in 4–6 weeks.
If there is a need to change the training program, then they change not only the strength, but also.
With a constant frequency of loads and following the recommendations of trainers, the first results appear within 1.5–2 months. But it is important to consider that different muscles develop differently. For example, it is more difficult to pump up abs than arm muscles.
Also, the effectiveness depends on the method of nutrition. Food should contain a sufficient amount of protein, which is the building material for muscles.
Imagine that you have a chance to find a treasure. The chest of gifts is buried somewhere unknown and you have 2 options. The first way: you pick up a shovel and dig through a huge plot of land for a painfully long time. The second way: you study the map and purposefully dig exactly where the treasure is hidden. In our case, the treasure will be your ideal physical shape, and the card is a specially designed training program. Without this plan, the effectiveness of your training is greatly limited.
Ready-made training plans: benefits
So, you definitely know what you want and realize that muscle training should be done on a regular basis. You want to start working on yourself immediately. But before you start training in the gym, decide on your goal. What task do you set for yourself? Weight loss, mass gain, relief? Based on this, a training program in the gym is developed.
Thanks to this plan, you don't have to waste your energy on ineffective exercises. A reasonable list of tasks allows you to quickly achieve the result you need. For example, a gym training program for girls, as a rule, does not contain exercises for the trapezius muscles. For men, on the contrary, this area matters. The gym training program for men will be very different from the training plan for girls. In this case, the difference will manifest itself not only in the degree of complexity, but also in the form of load. For both men and girls, it is recommended to correctly combine both aerobic and strength training. A training plan developed by professionals allows you not to waste time searching for the best exercises, but to follow the most effective path.
Gym Workout Programs: Just Do It
Our portal presents ready-made training programs in the gym that have already proven their effectiveness. Each lesson plan is balanced, effective and aimed at solving a specific problem. You can choose ready-made training programs aimed at solving problems such as:
- Preparation
- fat burning
- increase in strength
- endurance
- relief
- keeping fit
A gym workout plan for men allows both ectomorphs and endromorphs to achieve the desired shape. It is worth noting that along with regular training, it is necessary to follow a proper nutrition regimen. Each of the training programs has corresponding recommendations. By following this plan, you are guaranteed to achieve success.
Training for men is usually based on a single principle: performing basic exercises and increasing muscle size. For the fair sex, the program is completely different. In training for girls, as a rule, some muscle groups are excluded altogether, and the main emphasis is on the buttocks and hamstrings.
Our website provides absolutely free access to programs for any purpose. By following these guidelines, you will quickly and efficiently achieve your desired shape. To achieve the greatest results, we offer training programs for girls and men from professional trainers. An individual plan will significantly speed up your path to victory. Such a training program in the gym, designed taking into account your training, body type, and health status, allows you to achieve perfection quickly and effectively.
The great bodybuilder Jay Cutler once said:
We know: you are a great person! Stay with us and follow your dreams.
Most beginners, when they come to the gym, often start doing heavy basic exercises without having a sufficient level of training for this. On the other hand, there are those who from the very beginning accustom themselves to training on machines, without paying due attention to free weights. However, these two categories of novice athletes are united by incorrectly constructed training programs, which they often write for themselves. In this article we will analyze the best training programs in the gym for beginner athletes.
Training goals
Before starting to draw up any program, it is necessary, first of all, to decide on the goals that the future program should achieve. Training goals can be both physical body parameters (strength, endurance) and external ones (muscle mass, relief, weight loss, etc.). At the same time, physical parameters are trained mainly through strength exercises, and external parameters require not only a special training regimen, but also compliance with the correct diet. This is their key difference. It is a mistaken belief that only with the help of training programs can you increase muscle mass, improve your appearance, or ensure effective burning of excess fat.
At the initial stage of training, your training goals will not be particularly important, but after completing the basic stage of training, you will have an idea of what programs to use and what parameters to work on improving. Therefore, the stage of defining training goals is key.
Introductory stage of training
This stage is a must-have for any novice athlete. The fact is that at first neither the muscles nor the cardio-respiratory system of the body are fully prepared for serious stress. In addition, you yourself are unlikely to know the limit of your physical capabilities. Therefore, the introductory stage of training includes work on all major muscle groups in minimal intensity and minimal volume.
The total duration of the introductory stage is 4 weeks.
Workout #1 (Monday)
Training#2 (Wednesday)
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 |
Training#3 (Friday)
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 |
Basic stage of training
At this stage, we will have to train according to split schemes, that is, on each training day we will specifically train two specific muscle groups. Basic period training is more intense and voluminous, and also provides greater load on the main muscle groups.
The basic stage of training will include 2 training programs - one is intended for beginners at an intermediate level, the other for beginners at a lower intermediate level.
Below the middle level This is understood as a level of fitness at which an athlete can perform basic exercises with his own weight - pull-ups and push-ups, at least in an average number of repetitions (at least 6-8).
Below average is understood as a level of fitness at which the athlete cannot perform exercises with his own weight (pull-ups, dips) or performs them in a small number of repetitions (less than 6).
The total duration of the basic stage is 8 weeks.
Training frequency – 3 times a week.
Basic complex for beginners of the INTERMEDIATE level
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | maximum | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 |
Training#2 (Wednesday): Shoulders + Legs
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 12 |
Training
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | maximum | |
| 3 | maximum | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| standing | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 |
Basic complex for beginner athletes of BELOW INTERMEDIATE level
Workout #1 (Monday): Chest + Back + Abs
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 2 | 15 |
Training#2 (Wednesday): Shoulders + Legs
| Exercises | Approaches | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 12 | |
| 3 | 15 | |
| 3 | 12 |
Training#3 (Friday): Biceps + Triceps + Abs
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There are two theories on how to introduce a “neophyte” into the training process. “One of them claims that if a person comes to the gym for the first time, his muscles and joints are not ready for the load,” says Ekaterina Soboleva, fitness director of the Zupre sports club. “It is especially important for him to perform all the exercises along a strictly precise trajectory—simulators provide just such an opportunity.” The opposite concept states that a beginner needs to be taught basic movements with free weights, then in the future his intermuscular coordination and adaptation in the gym will be better and faster. Both methods are equivalent. There is no scientific research on the benefits of one or the other.
“I believe that it all depends on the person - his preferences, age, health and goals,” says Ekaterina Soboleva. — I would advise older people to start with exercise equipment. They strictly set the trajectory of movements and, as a rule, fix the position of the back on a hard surface. The simulators also work well in recovery and rehabilitation programs and complexes for pregnant women. In this case, the exercises require minimal concentration and are easy to perform. When pumping your legs, it is easy to squeeze the platform in the simulator, because you are performing a single-joint movement. Just try, while squatting with a barbell, control your pelvis, hold your back, and lower yourself to the floor to a certain angle at the knee. One is good at solving simple problems. For others it’s complicated. This is the difference between the approaches.”
For beginners, it is important to remember that starting training is not done to failure. At least in the first week, you need to leave the “gym” as if you were leaving a table, with a slight feeling of “hunger.” After all, even after exercises that seem very easy, the next day your muscles can literally cramp from pain. You cannot overload to failure even after a long break from fitness.
The basic set of exercises that we will show today will allow you to work all muscle groups. Do it for the first two weeks, and preferably the entire first month of classes. Your task now is not to set records, but to gently enter the training process.
“You don’t need to do biceps-triceps exercises for the first few workouts: they are involved in basic rows, and if you work them additionally, this can lead to overtraining,” says Alexander Krutousov, personal trainer at the Zupre sports club. “The next day your arms will just fall off.” Add them in the second week of classes.”
General rules for each exercise in the first workout for beginners
* Any training program, for beginners and professionals, should start with. These could be exercise options, running or working on an exercise bike. The task is to properly warm up the muscles and prepare them for the upcoming loads. Warm-up duration is 5-7 minutes.
* During the adaptation stage, perform each exercise for 2 sets, 10-15 repetitions each.
* Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
* Select the weight so that after 10-15 repetitions you still have some strength left. This is very important for the first week of classes.
* Breathe correctly. When the overcoming phase of the movement occurs (lifting the weight), exhale; in the yielding phase (when the weight is lowered), inhale.
* Finish each workout.
Leg press
Lie down on the machine, press your back against the backrest, maintaining a natural arch, and head on the backrest or headrest. Place your feet in the center of the platform or at its top. Feet are shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed out. Squeeze the platform, with your legs not fully straightened, and grab the side clamps with your hands. Bend your legs at the knee joints. Lower the platform until your buttocks are pressed firmly against the seat and your sacral spine is pressed firmly against the backrest. Return to the starting position. At the top point, the knees remain slightly bent.
Important! Do not lift your buttocks from the seat, do not twist your back in the sacral region. If you keep your thighs parallel, most of the load will go to the front muscles of the thighs, and if you spread your knees to the sides, then to the inner surface and buttocks. “The leg press is especially necessary for those with varicose veins. Because in this position of the body there is an outflow of venous blood from the lower extremities,” explains Alexander Krutousov.
Leg curls in the simulator
Grab the handle with a wide overhand grip. The hands should be at the same distance from the middle of the handle. The body is straight, the gaze is ahead. The legs are bent at the knees at a right angle, the feet rest firmly on the floor. Pull the handle of the machine down and back towards your upper chest. As you move, lean your body back slightly, arching your back. The movement of the elbows is in the direction of movement of the handle and cable. Hand, elbow, cable - in the same plane. At the lowest point, make sure that your elbow does not go beyond the line of movement of the handle. Return to the starting position.
Important! Do not bend your back while moving.
Traction on a horizontal block
Sit on the machine, rest your knees bent on the supports. Lean forward, grab the handle, straighten up, keep your body perpendicular to the bench and the floor. The back is tense, a natural deflection is maintained in the lower back. Head straight, gaze forward. Hold the handle with your arms straight. Without bending your body at the hip joint, move your shoulder girdle forward. Pull the handle toward your lower ribs while simultaneously pulling your shoulder girdle back and bringing your shoulder blades toward your spine. Don't press your elbows to your sides. Forearms - in the same plane with the cable. Fix your lower back, only the shoulder girdle moves. Slowly return to the starting position.
Important! Do not swing your body, do not lift your shoulders up; during movement, do not forget to move your shoulders back and bring your shoulder blades towards your spine.
Straight crunches on an incline bench
Lie on a bench with your feet up. Secure your feet behind the bolsters. Hands are crossed on the chest. Round your back. Raise your body to a vertical position. Pause for 2-3 seconds at the point of greatest muscle tension. Return to the starting position.
Important! Do not try to perform incline crunches quickly to avoid using inertia and injuring your lower spine. Round your back, otherwise it will not be a twist, but a lifting of the torso. The main load falls on the iliopsoas muscle.
Reverse crunches on an incline bench
Adjust the position of the machine's support plate so that it is level with your upper thighs and below your hip joint. Fix your feet on the platform, lie with your hips on the support platform, placing your body and legs in the same plane. Straighten your legs at the knee joints. Tighten your back muscles, follow the natural arch in the lumbar spine. Hands behind the head with elbows spread to the sides, head raised, gaze forward and down. Bend your body, maintaining a deflection in the lumbar region. Return to the starting position.